Consensus on skagit line weight?

[LOC]

This seems to be a ongoing subject matter.

What's the latest consensus on skagit head weight for a rod rating?

Is it head + plus tip = total grain weight.

Is it match head weight to suggested grain weight for rod.

Thanks

 

[huronfly]

With "skagit casting", the tip is assumed to be anchored IN the water, thus the tip is not included in weight.

Example: A rod with skagit rating of 480-560 would take a skagit head within that range.

With tiny micro skagits, the rules seem to change, but I don't use those much.

 

[LOC]

With "skagit casting", the tip is assumed to be anchored IN the water, thus the tip is not included in weight.

Example: A rod with skagit rating of 480-560 would take a skagit head within that range.

With tiny micro skagits, the rules seem to change, but I don't use those much.

What length would you consider micro skagit and thanks!

 

[huronfly]

What length would you consider micro skagit and thanks!

Lines like OPST commando would fall into this category, they recommend 75-100 grains less than a typical skagit head. I'm not sure if any others have the same recommendation but certainly can confuse things.

 

[Unknownflyman]

I dont figure tip into line weight, but I consider it. I think it matters more if you are fishing a soft rod or maxing out the grain window and then figuring on using 10 or more feet of T-18 and a heavy fly. The new shorter skagits have a max payload listed on the line chart, t-11 or t-14. If I need anything heavier than that and large flies I go to a full skagit. The bigger the line the more it will carry and large flies will cast better, to me its noticeable. That being said I fish classics and tubes most of the time on T-14 MOW or less so the OPST or even a scandi it just fine for that depending on how deep I want to swing. Even then its what you like, some guys like a slower heavy feel and some like lighter and snappy on the cast and swing.

 

[jjcm]

The line itself is what casts the tip, leader, and fly. If it would be a D-loop cast, then the line in the loop that is bending the rod is what loads it to throw the rest of the system, the anchor. Others mentioned this above. I understand that a part of the reason for variations in suggested grain weight to given fly rod weight goes back to casting methods, like the continual motion style or the D-loop loaded style. Lighter grain weights that are suggested in some of the micro Skagit line systems are different primarily because of the different casting methods. In a continual motion cast it is the motion and tension of the cast that effects how the rod loads, which requires less weight. Not sure if tip weight plays a role in that. I thought that it is the constant tension without pause as opposed to a pause to form a cast that depends more on the line’s weight without the tip having much of a significant bearing on load.

 

[trev]

In a continual motion cast it is the motion and tension of the cast that effects how the rod loads, which requires less weight.

In thinking about a 'continual motion cast', it seems to me that a great deal more of the line is in play than in a static cast, so the load is the total of the moving line and might actually be greater than the load in the static loop of a heavier line. Say 40' of moving 3g/ft line (120g) as opposed to 20' of static 5g/ft line (100g).
But, that is just a random thought from a non-Skagit user.

 

[LOC]

Hmmm so it does get a bit confusing and I should add this if for a short spey 11'11" rod. I'll aim for matching head wt to rod weight the line I was looking at will be too light.

For anyone looking for a great deal on a 275 grain Rio short spey skagit integrated line there's one on the auction site for 41 bucks new in box.

Thanks for the replies folks!